


Bad Luck Bagman

by be11atrixthestrange



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Autumn, Dark, Fate, Felix Felicis, Gen, Goblins, Humor, Muggles, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26779021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/be11atrixthestrange/pseuds/be11atrixthestrange
Summary: Ludo Bagman has managed to hide many things from his muggle wife, including magic, his gambling debts, and his intense fear of pumpkins.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

Life had improved tremendously for Ludo Bagman since he'd been on the run.

On a crisp autumn afternoon, he found himself sitting by his kitchen window, sipping a stout, and thinking about his past life in the Wizarding World. Who knows what brought it up- it had been years since he had even paid one thought to it. Perhaps it was the season- the changing leaves, the fall harvest, and sudden change in temperature and scenery- that reminded him of how quickly he had turned his life around.

Technically, he was still in debt and in hiding. He didn't like thinking about the debt he owed the Goblins- the thought of owing so much money made him shudder. He had already bet and lost everything before, and had nothing more to give them. He assumed that the Goblins had understood this, and given up looking for him long ago. Even Fred and George Weasley had eventually stopped pestering him for real money, when the Leprechaun gold he paid them disappeared. Now that he had successfully outrun his debts, it was finally time for him to prosper. And prospering he was.

No one at the ministry had contacted him. They had likely filled his position at the Department of Magical Sports and Games, and he was no longer needed. This was fine by him- the job had been too stressful anyway. He had found a new job as a handyman for muggles. He quite enjoyed it, actually. He could use very simple magic to fix things that muggles would otherwise spend a great deal of time on, and he was well compensated for his work. It also meant that he received his payment in muggle money, allowing him to avoid any Goblin encounters at Gringotts Bank.

Even though he stopped gambling when he skipped town, he still won a different kind of jackpot- his wife, Eleanor. She was a lot of things- beautiful, spontaneous, intelligent, sarcastic, raunchy, and most importantly, gullible. Thankfully she believed Ludo's many wild stories that explained why he was so _quirky and mysterious._

He had met her at this very house, when she requested his handiwork services, and they hit it off immediately. The pair began to date shortly after their first meeting. Ludo found that she succumbed to his charm quite easily. They intrigued each other- She was impressed by how quickly and efficiently he could perform housework, and he rather enjoyed someone praising his many talents. It was something that had been lacking for him during his last few months working at the Ministry. Of course, she didn't know he was a wizard, and he was not planning on telling her.

Spending time with Eleanor taught him everything he needed to know about blending in with muggles. He married her just a few months after their first date. It was spontaneous and impulsive, just like them. He had never pictured himself married to a muggle, but that didn't matter. Life had a way of just _happening_ to Ludo Bagman. Accurately predicting the future wasn't his strength and he had the debts to show for it- something else that Eleanor would never know about.

The sound of the door cranking open awoke Ludo from his thoughts.

"Hey Ludo I'm home," sounded Eleanor's voice from the doorway.

"In the kitchen!" Ludo did a quick scan of the kitchen- hoping he hadn't left any magical charms running in the background. He was in the clear.

Eleanor entered with a woven grocery bag hanging from her forearm. "I stopped at the store on my way home, that's why I'm home later than normal."

Ludo hadn't even noticed. "What did you get? Something good for supper?"

"Even better, dessert." Eleanor lowered the bag to the kitchen counter and pulled out a very large and ripe pumpkin. "I figured we could make pumpkin pie for desse-" She paused at the look on Ludo's face. He was staring intently at the pumpkin, wide-eyed and fearful, as if it could explode at any moment.

"Put that down!" He shouted, gesturing at the pumpkin, and backing away as if it was a hand-grenade.

Eleanor flinched at his outburst, then narrowed her eyes in confusion as she lowered the pumpkin onto the kitchen counter, and took a step away. "What? Why?" She looked up at him, her expression willing him to explain.

But Ludo couldn't explain. At least not in a way that would protect his secrets. Instead, he experienced a flood unwelcome memories, triggered by the unexpected encounter with a pumpkin- something that he had been avoiding as intentionally as Goblins.

Ludo didn't want anything to do with pumpkins. He wouldn't touch them, eat them, or carve them. He didn't even want to _look_ at them. As far as Ludo was concerned, pumpkins were an omen of bad luck.

It had been years since he had last eaten a pumpkin, and he remembered the experience vividly. It was so memorable simply because it marked the last time Ludo had been truly happy- at least until he found Ellie, of course. Regardless, if he had never eaten that pumpkin, his life would be very, very, different...

* * *

Many years ago, on an autumn stroll through the woods, he came across a lonely wild pumpkin. He picked it and prepared it into a pie, just as Ellie was about to do now.

Ludo had always loved pumpkin pie and recalled his excitement for that first luxurious bite. But when he bit into it, he was overwhelmed by an unpleasant and unfamiliar sensation. It felt like loneliness. Emptiness. It was almost as if that one bite of pumpkin pie had made him suddenly aware of a void he needed to fill.

At first, he tried to fill the void with the rest of the pie, but he found it had lost all taste, and did nothing to satisfy him. The sudden emptiness he felt was unbearable, and he would try anything to make it stop. Ludo, formerly an honest and wholesome man, moved on to other worldly pleasures to fill the void. He experimented with drugs. Alcohol. Sex. But nothing made it go away.

That's when he started to gamble. The recklessness that he'd adopted in his hunt for fulfillment caused him to bet his entire vault's worth on the outcome of a local Quidditch match just to feel something.

Miraculously, he won. And even more miraculously, the feeling that came from winning that large sum of money was exactly what he had been searching for. How could he have been so lucky? He wanted to experience it again.

So Ludo kept gambling. Unfortunately, that first bet was the last time he would ever win, but he didn't know that. He managed to temporarily quell the emptiness he felt with the hope and excitement that came from each reckless wager. However, it seemed that the luck that had struck him on his first bet struck again every time, but only for his opponents.

Take Fred and George Weasley- at the Quidditch World Cup they had bet that Victor Krum would catch the snitch, but Bulgaria would still lose. That was a stupid bet. Objectively unlikely. He should have won, but they did. How could _they_ have gotten so lucky?

He chalked every lost bet up to sheer luck. Everyone else was getting lucky, and the chance was strong that he would be next. Stopping now, just one bet away from a big win, would be foolish of him. So he continued to gamble, and his debt grew, until he eventually became numb to the excitement. As it turns out, playing to get out of debt wasn't quite as fun as playing to get instantly rich. When he realized that gambling was no longer filling the void, he fled. It made sense- he needed a fresh form of excitement, and he would never be able to pay back his debts anyway.

Excitement came in the form of this new life as a wizard secretly living among muggles. Maintaining his job, his marriage, and his identity came with the risk of exposing the entire wizarding world if he wasn't careful. It kept him on his toes, and he liked that. He doubted he'd ever become numb to this new adventure.

* * *

Ludo emerged from his memories to find himself standing in the kitchen, staring at his wife, and trying to explain why a grown man would fear a pumpkin.

"Ludo," repeated Eleanor more firmly. "What's wrong with the pumpkin?"

He didn't answer at first. He still didn't know how to.

"Ludo. Answer me. You're scaring me."

As calmly as he could, he responded. "Eleanor, Pumpkins are very bad luck." He held her gaze without blinking to show his seriousness. He expected her to believe and humor him, as she did with all of his _unique beliefs_ but this time she didn't.

Eleanor broke his stare and let out a hearty laugh. "You are too much sometimes, Ludo." She reached again for the pumpkin and Ludo, controlled by his fear, shoved his hand into his back pocket to grab his wand.

He was quick enough. His years of Quidditch had given him fast reflexes. When Eleanor turned away, he quickly flicked his wand toward the pumpkin, and sent a nonverbal command its way.

Eleanor shrieked as the pumpkin exploded from her hand, sending its slimy orange insides all over the kitchen. "What just happened? What did you do?' She threw the remainder of the pumpkin onto the ground. "Weird shit like this is always happening around you, Ludo! WHY?"

She turned around to glare at him. Her face was red, and she looked angry. Ludo loved this about her. She could be smiling and laughing one moment, and furious in the next. This excited him. As far as Ludo was aware, her anger was always unprovoked.

At least that's what he thought.

"I told you, pumpkins are bad luck," he said simply with a shrug. It was something he firmly believed to be true. She would just have to accept that they would not be enjoying any pumpkin desserts anytime soon.

But what did he know?

Unfortunately for Ludo, his pumpkin phobia was misdirected. The truth was, his bad luck had little to do with pumpkins in general, and everything to do with that one particular pumpkin, many years ago. What Ludo didn't know, was that the water that fed that particular patch of earth where he found the wild pumpkin years ago, had been contaminated with _Tenax Tristis,_ a bad luck potion. No one had reported the contamination, as the potion was strictly illegal, and a long sentence in Azkaban awaited anyone who tried to brew it.

As a result of the contamination, anything that grew in that particular patch of grass was infected with the potion. Every day the contamination remained, the potion's effects grew stronger and longer-lasting. And who knows how long it had been contaminated.

Ludo didn't know any of this. In fact, had no idea he had been, and still was living under the effects of Tenax Tristis. He thought his life had improved tremendously. After all, he had escaped his debts and won the marriage lottery, and all that had remained from his previous life was a manageable pumpkin phobia.

But in reality, Ludo's luck hadn't changed at all. The jackpot of his perfect life was just another illusion that would soon escape his grip before he knew it. He would eventually become numb to the excitement of hiding his past and his true self. He would soon succumb to the stress of it all, which would cause him to break the statute of secrecy. The Ministry would then find him, as would the Goblins, and he would have to repay his debts.

Ludo thought he was finally prospering and rebuilding what he had lost, but he wasn't. Thanks to Tenax Tristis, he was about to lose it all again. He just didn't know that yet.

Eleanor glared at her husband before turning sharply and exiting the room. Ludo, who was still terrified of pumpkins called out to her. "Hon, aren't you going to clean this up?"

"You are unbelievable," he heard her grumble as she stormed out the front door. Ludo assumed she was going back to the store to pick up something else for dessert, because pumpkin pie simply wouldn't do.

Her anger was pretty convincing, but Ludo was sure she was just joking. He returned to his perch beside the window, excitedly waiting for his wife to return with more dessert.

He didn't know that her anger was very real, and she wasn't planning to come back anytime soon.

He took another sip of his stout, enjoying his blissful oblivion.

Life really had improved since he'd been on the run.


	2. Wendell Wilkins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ludo Bagman meets a peculiar man at a bar.

It seemed like a normal bar. A normal _muggle_ bar. And he really needed some _normal_ right now. Ludo figured it unlikely there was anyone from the Ministry waiting to arrest him in an Australian muggle bar, so he took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

He took a seat at one of the barstools and noticed his reflection staring right back at him. He observed his appearance from a few different angles in the mirror on the wall behind the bar. His self-transfiguration was holding up pretty well. The red tint of his hair still looked relatively natural, or at least, like a natural attempt at an amateur hair-dye job, which made him look even more like a muggle. His eyes were unrecognizably brown, and his stature was exactly the same, because he knew that a completely different appearance would look suspicious to a British Auror.

Ludo had gotten himself into quite a bit of trouble back in England. As it turns out, it's hard to hide magic from muggles, especially if you're married to one. Eleanor's gullibility only took her so far, and when she caught Ludo levitating objects around the house, he couldn't explain himself.

He did his best to convince her it was _all in her head,_ but unfortunately, gaslighting her wasn't the savior to his marriage he'd hoped it would be. When he came home to find her standing in their empty home, bags packed, he knew he'd never see her again. So he pulled out his wand, and wiped himself from her memory, even though it broke his heart to do so.

He was almost relieved to receive that letter from the Ministry notifying him of his crime— breaking the statute of secrecy. He laughed when he read it. If that was the only crime they had records of, good on him. He wasn't concerned about getting caught, he was concerned that they finally knew his address after all these years. But he was grateful. It was the perfect excuse to flee the country, and finally leave the memories of his happy marriage behind him. _Another fresh start._

"I'll have a Newcastle," said a familiar accent beside him.

Ludo stiffened in his seat. He wasn't expecting to hear another British accent in a Melbourne bar. The likelihood of randomly sitting next to an incognito Auror was so small, he convinced himself not to worry. At least not yet.

The man next to him appeared about ten years older than him. He had dark but greying hair, thick glasses, the appearance of someone who had just gotten off an airplane, and was trying to kill time before checking into a hotel. His clothes looked expensive, but it also looked like he hadn't changed them in days. It was a peculiar appearance.

"What's the name for the tab?" asked the barkeep.

The man next to Ludo paused before he answered. "Wilkins."

 _Fake name_ , thought Ludo. He would know, because he frequently had to pause in order to remember his alias of the day.

The man named 'Wilkins' accepted his Newcastle, thanked the barkeeper, and then pulled out a notebook from his bag. Ludo turned to observe the man more closely. The notepad was already covered in neat, tiny writing, and he squinted as he read it again, a thoughtful look on his face. Ludo thought it unlikely that he recognized him, and figured his best approach would be to make conversation with the man. Worst case scenario, he'd know quickly if he had to make a run for it. Best case, he'd find out the man really wasn't a British wizard in disguise.

"Did you just fly in from London?" asked Ludo.

The man turned to look at Ludo, eyeing him up and down before shaking his head. "Been here a few months. You're from England?"

Ludo nodded. "First time in Melbourne." He extended a hand toward the man. "Leo Wilson," he stated, offering a fake name.

The man looked him in the eye before accepting his handshake. "Wendell."

 _Wendell Wilkins_ , thought Ludo. It still sounded fake, but then again, so did Leo Wilson. "Nice to meet you, Wendell," he said with a nod. He turned back at the barman. "I'll have a Newcastle too."

When he had his drink in hand, he raised his glass to Wendell. "To England," he said. The two men clinked glasses and took a sip.

"What brings you to Melbourne?" asked Wendell.

Ludo shrugged. "A change of scenery," he said. "What about you?"

Wendell paused and took a long swig of his beer before he answered. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I guess me and my wife just wanted something new." Ludo narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the man. It sounded like he hadn't quite thought through his backstory. Wendell diverted the question expertly. "Do you have a wife?"

"Had."

An empathetic look crossed Wendell's face. "Sorry to hear that."

Ludo shrugged. "It happens. What about you?"

Wendell nodded. "Monica. But if it makes you feel any better, things with her haven't been great since we came to Australia."

This sparked Ludo's curiosity. "That's too bad," he said insincerely. "Problems with the ladies. That calls for another round, I believe." He had an ulterior motive of course. Maybe if Wendell drank just a little bit more, he would reveal whether or not he was a threat. He ordered them each a second beer, and the men toasted to their marital problems, and drank.

He listened intently as Wendell recounted his relationship issues. Evidently, things had just felt _off_ between him and Monica since their arrival in Australia. They couldn't quite remember why they decided to move, and they argued about it constantly.

There were some weird things they couldn't explain, like the general fogginess, the forgetfulness, and the constant deja vu. They couldn't seem to agree about very simple aspects of their former lives, such as what town they used to live in, where they worked, and who their friends were. Something big seemed to be missing, and neither of them could put a finger on what it was.

They blamed it on each other, and assumed what was missing was passion. Love. They decided they had moved to Australia to reignite the missing flame of their marriage, but clearly, it wasn't working.

Wendell had other theories, but they didn't sit well with his wife. His theory was that something was missing from their lives, it had nothing to do with their marriage, and it wasn't an accident. Wendell thought something sinister was going on, but Monica thought he was crazy.

"Be honest," said Wendell after draining his second beer. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

Ludo motioned to the bartender to order a third round. "No, I don't think you're crazy."

It was true. Ludo didn't think Wendell was crazy at all. And unless Wendell was a particularly gifted actor, he definitely wasn't a wizard in disguise.

Wendell was a muggle. An obliviated muggle. Ludo was sure of it.

There was no recognition in Wendell's eyes as he talked about his past life. It was the same empty stare he saw in Eleanor after he wiped himself from her memory, and it broke his heart. Seeing that same fog in Wendell's expression broke his heart all over again.

"What's the notebook for?" asked Ludo, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Wendell looked hesitant at first, before sliding the notebook over toward Ludo. "Sometimes, when I drink, I remember things, and I write them all down. I draw them if there aren't words."

Ludo studied the writing on the page before him. At first, it looked like gibberish, but he started to decipher patterns in the letters. The letters "HJG" appeared over and over.

"What is HJG?" he asked.

Wendell glanced around him as if he was concerned someone would overhear him. He shifted closer to Ludo before he answered. "I think they are initials."

"Your initials?"

Wendell shook his head. "Although Wendell Wilkins doesn't feel like my real name, I've given up trying to remember my own initials. I think those were the initials that I was meant to forget."

Ludo scowled at the paper. He turned to a previous page, where Wendell had drawn a picture of a large orange tabby cat. He turned the page again, this time revealing four words in a slanted scrawl that repeated across the page.

_Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus_

Ludo felt his breath catch in his throat. "What does this mean?" he asked, although he knew perfectly well what it meant.

Wendell sighed. "It's Latin for 'never tickle a sleeping dragon'. It sounds mental, I know." He took another sip of his beer before shrugging. "It felt important."

It was important. Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus was the Hogwarts school motto. There was no way Wendell had written that down by coincidence. The motto was part of the school emblem, which appeared on the uniforms, the school post, and any memorabilia that a student might take home to their parents. Ludo remained certain that Wendell was a muggle, because even the most skilled obliviater couldn't wipe their own magic from someone's memory. There was only one other way Wendell would know the school motto.

"Wendell, do you have any children?"

Wendell sat up straight and looked Ludo in the eye. He appeared to study him, as if determining what answer he should give. He must have seen an earnest expression in Ludo because he eventually nodded. "A daughter. At least I think I do. I just can't quite remember."

They sat there in silence for a while. Ludo couldn't help but think about his wife— ex-wife, and wonder. Where did she go when she walked away from him with that blank stare in her eye? Did she have a notebook full of scribbles that hardly made sense to her? Was she currently sitting at a bar trying to remember her marriage? Was she also living in a constant fog, questioning her own sanity?

He had never once stopped to think about the lasting effects before he wiped her memory. Instead, he naively assumed it simply erased his problems, and moved on. But now, watching 'Wendell', sipping away at his third Newcastle, he was faced with a harsh reality. This man clearly hadn't been home in days. He looked like he hadn't slept in longer. He was three drinks deep on a weekday morning, scribbling nonsense into a notebook, and telling a complete stranger about his forgotten daughter. He clearly wasn't doing well.

Ludo was positive he'd never see Eleanor again. He'd never be able to help her. But maybe he could make up for that, by helping Wendell right now. He'd already broken the statute of secrecy once, what would be the harm in doing it again?

"Wendell, do you want to find her?"

He squinted at Ludo, assessing his seriousness. "That's what I've been trying to do."

Ludo nodded and looked straight at Wendell's somber, yet hopeful eyes. He took a deep breath. "I can help you."

Wendell narrowed his eyes skeptically. "How could you possibly help me?"

Ludo took another sip, as if to fill him with more courage. He was good at lying to muggles, but not telling the truth. He tried to ignore the feeling of foreboding that came over him, telling him that this was a bad idea. If he couldn't give the truth to Eleanor, he owed it to Wendell.

Wendell needed a friend, and so did he. This would be good.

"I can help you, because I'm a wizard. And I know what happened to you."

There was a prolonged silence. Ludo stared directly at his Newcastle, but he felt Wendell's eyes on him, burning a hole through him. He reluctantly turned to face him.

Wendell's expression was unreadable, but the blankness that characterized his eyes before had all but disappeared. His face was filled with recognition.

Was it hopefulness? Sadness? Shock? Ludo couldn't tell. After all, he didn't really know Wendell. He was a complete stranger. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything at all.

Then Wendell spoke softly and stiffly, as if it required a great effort to steady his voice. "You're capable of making people forget?"

Ludo sighed. Then nodded. "I'm also capable of helping them remember."

"Are you the one who did this to me?" he nearly whispered.

Ludo shook his head firmly. "No."

"Did you do this to your wife?"

Ludo froze, regretting sharing any information about Eleanor. Although he never answered affirmatively, his hesitation confirmed Wendell's suspicions.

"Shame on you."

"Wendell, just trust me—,"

"No!" Wendell shouted, loudly enough that a few people looked up. He looked around self-consciously and whispered, "I could never trust you."

Ludo studied him. Anger, and fear. That's the expression he read. He saw the same emotions on Eleanor's face right before he obliviated her.

"Everything ok here?" asked the barman, clearing both Ludo and Wendell's empty bottles.

"Yes," said Wendell, still glaring at Ludo.

"Ok then," said the man, before disappearing behind the bar.

"Don't talk to me anymore," said Wendell, who swiped his notebook back, and turned to face the bar.

Ludo could have left it at that. He _should_ have left it at that. But his moral compass had never pointed due north, and he couldn't stand the thought of someone else knowing he was a criminal. Especially someone who didn't trust him. He was supposed to be in hiding.

Maybe he could fix it. He fished for his wand in his pocket, making sure to slip it almost entirely up his sleeve before pulling it out. He pointed his forearm toward Wendell, who must have felt Ludo's gaze on him, because he turned toward him.

Wendell's gaze drifted down to Ludo's sleeve, and his eyebrows shot up. "What the hell are you—"

"Obliviate," muttered Ludo, and he watched the anger and recognition fade from Wendell's eyes, and they were suddenly strangers again. Wendell turned back to the pages of his notebook, and ran his fingers over the words Draco Dormiens Nunquam Tittilandus. Ludo felt his stomach sink as he mourned the loss of a potential friendship. Part of him wanted to try again, because he really could help Wendell, and Wendell seemed just as lonely as Ludo. He opened his mouth to speak, and almost introduced himself for the second time.

But he didn't. Even though his moral compass wasn't always correct, it sometimes got close, and at this moment, it seemed like the right thing to do was to let Wendell be. So he held his tongue, and hoped he would find his daughter someday. Ludo fished his wallet out of his pocket, and left enough muggle money on the bar to cover Wendell's last three drinks.

"I'll have a Newcastle."

It was the last thing Ludo heard Wendell say, before he stood up, and left the bar.


	3. Leprechaun Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Ludo discovers a gambling opportunity at a local theme park, he is determined to strike gold. Still deep in debt, he uses a Polyjuice disguise to avoid confrontation. What could go wrong? Written for the IWSC (Prompts: Running out of time, Theme Park and First line- 'he was, unfortunately, handsome')

He was, unfortunately, handsome. Being good-looking should have been a positive thing, but it turned out to be quite an inconvenience.

Disguised by Polyjuice Potion, Ludo Bagman was standing in a long line for a local theme park's casino tent. He'd been anticipating this night for a while, and he'd come prepared with a plan. However, his plan required him to blend into the crowd, a difficult feat for someone so attractive.

"You think you'll get lucky tonight?"

He spun around to see a beautiful young witch smiling flirtatiously at him. She had short black hair and striking green eyes. He wondered if she had intended the double entendre. "Isn't that up to you?"

"I meant at gambling, silly," she said with a playful roll of her eyes.

"I've never tried gambling," he lied. "Have you?"

"No, this is my first time. We can be beginners together." She reached her hand out to his. "I'm Vera, by the way."

Ludo took her hand. "I'm Leo." He briefly considered giving his real name but decided against it.

"Lovely to meet you, Leo!"

Like many girls that evening, she seemed intent to talk to him. He couldn't think of an excuse to part ways with her; he had spent most of his evening escaping these sorts of advances, and it was starting to wear him down. Luckily, Vera was quite pleasant and appeared to think the same of him. Their conversation flowed with ease. She laughed at his jokes and confidently flirted back, making him want to keep talking to her. It didn't hurt that her eyes kept tracing over his body, a small smirk etched across her face. There was mischief in her eyes, and Ludo quite liked it.

Her initial question drifted back through his mind. _You think you'll get lucky tonight?_ Under typical circumstances, he'd be thrilled about the possibility of a spontaneous shag, but unfortunately, these were not typical circumstances.

The first problem was that he was down to one small bag of Galleons, and he needed to turn it into two, three if possible. Although he was sure he still had a vault full of gold, Ludo couldn't just waltz into Gringotts and face the Goblins. It had been _years_ since he scammed them, but Goblins weren't quick to forget. At this point, there were only two ways to replenish his pockets: stealing and gambling.

The second problem was that his time was limited. He only had one hour, maybe two, to leave the theme park with a heavier bag of coins. Since gambling had always been a favorite pastime, there was a high chance of running into someone he knew at the casino tent. Unfortunately, most people he knew didn't exactly like him. After all, the Goblins weren't the only victims of a Bagman scam. To fully disguise himself, Ludo had plucked a hair from an unsuspecting Muggle and used Polyjuice Potion to impersonate the mysterious yet handsome stranger. By doing that, he set himself a timer: one hour, maybe two.

"This line might take a while," said Vera. "Why don't we get a drink and come back later? Kill some time."

He sighed, aware of how small the bag of Galleons in his pocket was. He knew he didn't have time to kill, but when Vera reached for his hand and looked him confidently in the eye, he suddenly felt like a nervous teenager preparing for a date. Maybe he could make time for _one_ drink. "Only if you're buying."

"Sure, I'll buy. You're lucky you're so handsome." She playfully pushed his shoulder and let her hand linger.

He really was handsome. Ludo had caught his reflection in a mirror earlier — he looked to be in his mid-twenties with dark brown hair, sultry hazel eyes, and a strong jaw-line. His intentionally disheveled hair suggested he meant to look like he had just rolled out of bed.

Ludo didn't get a chance to see the Muggle whose hair he'd plucked; he had snuck up from behind and made a run for it the second the man turned around and yelped. He must have looked different because no one had recognized him so far. He should be grateful that he was unrecognizable, but when Vera's fingers tightened around his hand, and she eyed him salaciously, he couldn't help but resent it a little.

Was the nameless Muggle he was impersonating that much better looking than him? Ludo had previously thought he was a good-looking guy. He never had to try too hard to attract women, but tonight, he didn't need to try at all.

"Are you ok, Leo?"

"Yes, of course," he answered dismissively. Ludo ran his fingers through his hair, scruffing it up in the process, and Vera smiled. He made a note to try messing up his real hair when the potion wore off. Maybe women were attracted to a more disheveled look these days.

"Okay, so how about that drink?" she asked, nodding toward an open-air bar across the park grounds. "How committed are you to gambling tonight?"

Ludo turned back to the line, which hadn't moved since his arrival. He could still feel the small, sad bag of coins in his pocket. Gambling was what he came here for, and he shouldn't let himself get distracted by a pretty woman. But was this line ever going to move? "Do you have a better idea?" he asked.

Vera slid her hand up his arm and around his neck, leaning in closer. It sent a shiver down Ludo's spine. "I might…" she whispered, before lifting onto her toes and closing the space between them. When her lips met his, Ludo responded enthusiastically, lacing his fingers into her hair, and pulling her body flush against his. All thoughts of his original goal to win some gold began fading to the background. He didn't have time for this...

But she was, unfortunately, beautiful. When they finally parted, Vera was wearing a radiant smile. She turned toward the bar, tugging his hand along, and Ludo didn't have to think twice about following. He probably wouldn't have time to win anything anyway, and it would be a shame to waste this handsome disguise. Even if he grew a scruffy beard and kept his hair messy, there was still a small chance that he'd never be this good-looking again. He should enjoy it. After all, he still had an hour, maybe two.

He studied the back of Vera's head as she led him to the bar as if doing so would give him access to her thoughts. She was quite forward, and he wondered if that was normal for women these days. It was either a sign of the changing times, or further evidence that his temporary body was more attractive than his real one.

It _had_ to be the changing times. Ludo pushed away the insecurity that suggested otherwise. He didn't have time for doubts.

He settled into a seat next to Vera, right as she motioned over the bartender.

"What'll it be, beautiful?" came a deep, crooning voice.

Ludo narrowed his eyes at the flirtatious bartender but relaxed a little when he got a good look at his face. He was a skinny man, clean-shaven with meticulously combed hair. Unlike Ludo, he didn't look like he had just rolled out of bed. Polyjuice or not, he wasn't a threat.

"I'll have a Firewhiskey, please," said Vera, who then nodded in Ludo's direction.

The bartender turned toward Ludo, and his demeanor changed. He seemed to shrink like a turtle retracting into his shell. The image brought a smug smile to Ludo's face. "And you?" he asked stiffly.

"Make it two," said Ludo, squinting at his nametag. "Thanks, Dave!"

"He was quite rude," noted Ludo, after Dave wordlessly stalked off to retrieve their drinks. "What's his deal?"

Vera shrugged. "He doesn't have a beautiful woman on his arm, like you!"

Something about Dave's demeanor bothered Ludo, and it wasn't because Ludo wanted a friendly interaction. He enjoyed triggering Dave's sudden rudeness because it solidified his position as the more attractive man. What bothered Ludo was that Dave's reaction was noteworthy. He couldn't remember ever experiencing an exchange like that one. Surely, he had been the most attractive guy in the room before. Hadn't he?

Dave returned with their drinks, and Ludo possessively slid an arm around Vera's shoulders. It felt strange in his borrowed body, like a display of insecurity that didn't make sense for someone so handsome.

Fortunately, Vera looked quite pleased by the gesture. Would she still be happy when the Polyjuice wore off? He only had an hour, maybe two, to find out.

With his free hand, he took a generous sip of Firewhiskey, enjoying how it simultaneously burned his throat and soothed his mind. He looked over at Vera. She really was beautiful, and her presence was calming. They moved effortlessly between quiet and conversation, and surprisingly, he found comfort in both. For a while, time seemed to slow down. Ludo wondered if he had made more than a physical connection with her — they got on quite well, and being with her felt natural. Maybe she wouldn't mind the same man in a different body. The thought made him both nervous and excited.

It could have been the buzz of the alcohol, but Ludo's fingers began to tingle. It was surely too soon for the potion to wear off. He wasn't ready to reveal himself yet, and his anxiety about being recognized came flooding back.

"Vera, how long have we been talking?"

She paused to contemplate his question. "Not too long. Why?"

"About… one hour, maybe?"

"Yeah. Maybe two." She turned toward him and smiled. "Feels like more," she added as she leaned in to capture his lips in another kiss.

The tingling in his fingers was getting stronger and beginning to spread to his hands.

At first, he tried to pull away, but she resisted, sliding her arm around his neck to hold him steady. He gave in and kissed her back, deeply, if only to stall so he could figure out what to do. The tingling slowly progressed to sharp prickling, and he moaned at the searing pain that accompanied the beginning of a transformation. Vera must have misinterpreted the moan because she shifted from her seat toward his lap.

What would Vera think when she pulled away to see a different person? If Ludo were truly as handsome as his disguise, she wouldn't mind. Regardless, if he were right about their connection, she might still be willing to leave with him. There was a hotel next to the theme park, and although Ludo's bag of coins was small, he probably had enough gold for one night. He'd owe her an explanation, but she'd understand.

So why was he panicking? He stalled her with another kiss, but eventually, Vera pulled away. At first, she kept her eyes closed. She appeared content, and for a moment, it honestly didn't matter how he looked.

Then she opened her eyes. In a matter of seconds, her expression evolved from bliss to confusion, to fear, and finally landed on anger. Her green eyes cut right through him. She looked like a new person, as if she had taken Polyjuice too. She scrambled off his lap and back to her seat. "What….How… Who are you?" she asked, her shrill tone attracting unwanted attention.

Ludo could feel more eyes on him. He scanned the crowd, and Dave's face immediately stood out. His eyes were wide, and his lips zipped together to suppress a smirk. Now it was Ludo wishing he could retract into a shell like a turtle.

When Ludo looked back at Vera, her expression had changed from anger to disappointment. His heart sank into his stomach.

"I'm… I'm so sorry."

Her arms folded defensively across her body, barricading her chest like protective armor, but Ludo still pictured them wrapping seductively around his neck as they had just a few moments ago. Her disappointed, distrustful expression looked like she had discovered Leprechaun Gold when she expected Galleons.

That's when it hit him — he had _scammed_ her. The bait and switch was his signature play, but this time it was unintended, and he was the switch. Vera wanted Galleons, but Ludo was just Leprechaun Gold.

Ludo could hear laughter, playful screams, and gimmicky music in the background, the typical jolliness of a theme park. All that noise made the eerie silence between Ludo and Vera more tense and uncomfortable. "Do you want me to leave?" he finally asked.

Vera nodded and looked away before adding softly, "Yeah, I do."

He didn't want to leave, He'd wanted to explain that his disguise wasn't about getting a shag, and he never intended to trick her. Unfortunately, his real motivation for the deceit wasn't wholesome either, and an explanation wouldn't have done any good.

Instead, he nodded slowly, accepting that it was all over. He reluctantly rose to his feet, prompting a jangle from the bag of gold in his pocket that was heavy, but not heavy enough.

"Well, goodbye then, Vera."

He knew it would hurt more if he lingered, so he didn't. Before he could second guess himself, he snapped his fingers and disappeared into thin air, just like Leprechaun Gold.


End file.
